Swimming-shoe.



PATBNTED MAY 28. 1907.

R. G. uns. l SWIMMING sHoE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3, 1906.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Application led August 3,1906. Serial No. 329,090.

To a/ZZ whom, zt 71mg concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT G. AYERS, a States, residing at Orion, in the county of Henry, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swimming-Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

It is the ob ject of this invention to provide various improvements in swimming shoes that will render them more serviceable and comfortable to the wearer than heretofore.

The nature of my improvements embodies,

inter alia, a structure comprising a sole and base strip below the same to the sides of which are hinged leaves or fins that fold downward as the foot is drawn forward and are spread out when a stroke backward is made by the foot of the swimmer; light spiral springs are pri vided to keep the lateral fins normally spread; and handy and efiicient means are constructed for keeping the shoe in place on the foot of the wearer when in the act of swimming, all as is clearly shown in the drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The invention will lirst be disclosed'in a detailed description @il its construction and mode of operation, and then be pointed out With distinctness and particularity in the subjoined claims.

Of the said drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention. Fig. 2 is an end view showing the lateral wings or ins as folded down. Fig. 3 is a cross section of Fig. 1 on the line of the springs and provision for fastening the ends of the. toe strap.

Similar iigures of reference designate similar parts or features. as the case may be, wherever they occur.

In the drawings, 10 designates the sole of the shoe which may be composed of any suitable material, such, for instance, as steel or other sheet metal, which any suitable manner to a base strip 11 that may also be composed f steel. 'Io the sides sole is secured in of the base-strip 1l are hingedly secured fins or wings 12, the inner margins of which are covered by the outer margins of the sole 10, so that the latter act in a measure as stops against the fins being i. )lded up beyond a horizontal line with the sole.

13 designates light he. ical springs secured at one 'end to the edge o1 the sole and at the other to the outer edge o' the fins or wings to normally hold the wings up or spread when the swimmer is wal g about in or out of the water.

At the sides of the soli opposite the ball of the foot tonguesAof metal 14, integral with the sole, are turned up and perforated to form means for the attachment of the ends of the toe-strap to the sole: and at the heel 15 the steel sole has a cut :6 made around the margin, and the severed portion 17 is turned up so as to constitute a back-stop for the heel of the foot somewhat lik(` a strap on the heel of a skate, the ends of the severed part being with the sole.

integrally connected the fins or wings l2 are The outer edges of turned down so as to give the same a better hold on the water when the swimmer makes a stroke with his feet to force himsell ahead in the water and also for the purpose of stiffening the structure.

The straps for securing will be made ol rubber or as not to hurt the feet or become water-soaked.

What is claimed as the invention, is

A. sole for a swimming shoe embodying in its construction perforated ears extending the shoe in place elastic webbing so harden after they upward and inward from the edges at the` broadened portion of the toe part, and a strap severed from the margin of the heel turned up and integrallg connected at its ends with the heel portion of the sole to form a back-stop for the heel of the swimmer.

In testimony whereof, I alix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT G. AYERS.

litnesses GEORGE I'. WILSON, S. E. NAUGLE. 

